Authoritarian regimes and their proxies use social media, other online information platforms, and traditional media to attempt to shape global and domestic narratives; to sow chaos and confusion in democracies; and to undermine democratic processes. Find ASD’s work on the many ways malign actors manipulate information to interfere in democracies, including by spreading disinformation, on this page.
Webinar Discussion: Tracking Chinese State-Backed Information Operations on the Coronavirus
Alliance for Securing Democracy experts Bret Schafer, Laura Rosenberger, Zack Cooper, and Axios’ Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian discussed narratives and long-term trends in China’s information manipulation efforts, including shifts in messaging and disinf [...]
Five Things to Know About Beijing’s Disinformation Approach
The coronavirus outbreak has opened up a new chapter in the global information contest between autocrats and democrats. In recent weeks, China has employed increasingly assertive tactics in its efforts to shape perceptions of the crisis. Data collec [...]
Hamilton 2.0 Findings Featured in CBS News
In recent months, China has significantly expanded its official presence on western social media platforms and moved toward a "Russian style" of spreading disinformation. CBS News' Olivia Gazis looked at some of ASD's preliminary findings from the e [...]
Laura Rosenberger on Chinese State-Backed Disinformation in The New York Times
Beijing's current disinformation tactics are a departure from the past, Director Laura Rosenberger told The New York Times. Chinese officials and media are trying out the typically Russian tactic of spreading multiple, contradictory disinformation n [...]
Lindsay Gorman on the Spread of Coronavirus Disinformation in Voice of America
Malign foreign actors have been using social media to spread coronavirus disinformation, but their efforts go beyond Facebook and Twitter to less visible platforms, like text messages and Facebook groups, Emerging Technologies Fellow Lindsay Gorman [...]
Jessica Brandt Discusses Coronavirus Disinformation on ‘The WarCast’
Disinformation is a regular part of our information ecosystem, but major political events, such as the coronavirus pandemic, are flashpoints for disinformation agents of all types, Head of Research and Policy Jessica Brandt said on War on the Rocks' [...]
Combating the Coronavirus Infodemic: Is Social Media Doing Enough?
The global coronavirus pandemic has also spawned an epidemic of online disinformation, ranging from false home remedies to state-sponsored influence campaigns. In the confusing environment, false medical theories have even found accidental legitimiz [...]
Matt Schrader Discusses How the Chinese Communist Party is Manipulating the Coronavirus Pandemic with European Values
The Chinese Communist Party understands the geopolitical importance of having control of supply chains in this moment, China Analyst Matt Schrader explained on a European Values webinar panel. He also noted that the CCP's disinformation apparatus ha [...]
Laura Rosenberger on China’s Adoption of Russian Disinformation Tactics in Axios
Director Laura Rosenberger explained that the Chinese party-state's information manipulation tactics in the past few weeks have diverged from what we've seen in the past in Axios. She pointed out three main tactics that Beijing has applied in its co [...]
Laura Rosenberger’s Take on China’s Coronavirus Disinformation Featured in CyberScoop
On a CyberPeace Institute panel, Director Laura Rosenberger explained that China's propaganda apparatus is evolving and taking lessons from Russia. While China used to be much more focused on internal narrative creation and control, now it is sowing [...]
Laura Rosenberger Discusses the Coronavirus ‘Infodemic’ with the CyberPeace Institute
Director Laura Rosenberger joined a group of experts to discuss disinformation in the time of the coronavirus on a webinar organized by the CyberPeace Institute. [...]
Analyzing China’s Coronavirus Propaganda Messaging in Europe
As COVID-19 has spread around the world, the Chinese party-state’s international propaganda apparatus has swung into action. The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) propaganda outlets are using declining numbers of COVID-19 sufferers inside China to por [...]